State won't appeal ruling giving Jerry Sandusky back pension

MARK SCOLFORO

Dec. 15, 2015

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania's large public-sector pension system isn't appealing a court order that restores a $4,900-a-month pension to former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.

The 30-day window has expired during which the State Employees' Retirement System could have appealed a Nov. 13 Commonwealth Court ruling that said the system was wrong to classify Sandusky as a university employee at the time of the child sex abuse crimes that were the basis of his pension forfeiture.

System spokesman Jay Pagni said Tuesday no money has yet been paid to Sandusky and his wife Dottie, who are owed back benefits plus interest, going back to when his pension payments were ended in October 2012.

He said officials will be in contact with the Sanduskys' representatives to determine how much is owed. Sandusky collected a $148,000 lump sum upon retirement.

"The system will comply with the court order," Pagni said.

Rick Beran, Sandusky's lawyer in the pension forfeiture appeal, could not be reached for comment.

The court said Sandusky did not maintain an employer-employee relationship with the university after 1999, when he retired after decades with Penn State.

Sandusky, 71, was convicted in July 2012 of 45 counts of child sexual abuse, including incidents on university property. He is currently serving 30 to 60 years in Greene State Prison.

Sandusky maintains he was wrongly convicted and is currently pursuing an appeal in county court near State College.

Penn State disclosed last month it had settled with six more of Sandusky's victims or accusers, bringing the total to 32 claims worth $93 million.